VACCINES: Why I choose them

In response to Wesley Ewers’ letter explaining why he doesn’t choose to be vaccinated against diseases, I wanted to make a few quick points.

Prior to moving to the Coeur d’Alene area, I worked as an Army nurse in Germany and had the opportunity to travel to many third world countries. Knowing what I know and seeing what I have seen in the medical world, I chose to vaccinate my kids. It not only protects my children, but all other people they come in contact with at school, the grocery store or the doctor’s office. We are all part of this community in North Idaho; we help one another in times of need, pay taxes and vote. I view vaccination as a responsibility to not only my family, but to the community I live, work and play in as well.

Unfortunately, many parents believe information that is simply untrue — like the claim Ewers made that childhood vaccines cause autism. This “research” has been de-bunked and there is no link between vaccines and autism. Some parents are still fearful and as a result, this myth continues to harm a lot of children. Vaccine-preventable childhood diseases are increasing across the country. Whooping cough, measles, and influenza are showing up in hospitals and a vast majority of the patients infected have not been vaccinated.

Ewers also says that he has done a lot of his own research. I encourage this, but it is important that we read everything with a critical eye. Not all information out there is reliable. Always check that the sources you are using are coming from people and organizations that do wide-spread, detailed, scientific and transparent studies. Your physician, who you trust with your family’s health care, is an excellent source of information. Vaccines are an important decision for your family. It is your decision to make. Please research the decision using materials that are based on sound science.

And finally, we have to face that it’s not all about us. By skipping vaccinations, we are putting babies, elderly and people with immune deficiencies, like cancer patients, at serious risk. Vaccines have provided us with years of protection against deadly disease, but we can’t forget that we are still vulnerable. Whether you are young, old or somewhere in between, please choose to vaccinate.

LORA WHALEN

Panhandle Health District Director

Hayden